cait enters miss jack’s giveaway

Seeing I too would like to win a copy of Miss Jack Lewis Balliot’s debut novel,HaphazardlyImplausible, I am entering as well!To enter, you simply need to review or talk about a book you’re in the process of reading. A new book is prefered but not required. All entries must be in by the 13th of December!Because I’m waiting on a stack of reserves to arrive from various libraries, I had to wait a while to enter. But I have my hands on the daunting sequel to Finnikin of the Rock. Yes, people, I am reading Froi of the Exiles.

The size is scaring me to pieces. So what drew me to this novel?First and foremost, it is a sequel. I loved Finnikin of the Rock and when I got wind of the sequels (the 3rd one is out too, I believe), I knew my reading stack was about to get bigger. Most sequels stand in the daunting shadow of their predecessor, and they have a lot to live up to. I’m not worried about Froi’s book though. So far (and I’m only a hair length in) I’ve sniffed at forgotten sorrows, awwed at the gorgeous child of Finnikin, smiled as the plot sets up and I see where it’s going, and laughed right out loud. It takes a very special humour to make me crack up on the outside as well as in. I’m confident this is going to be a good book. (And I will be doing a full review later.)But, being a sequel aside, I do love the cover. Finnikin is in blue, Froi in red, and I believe the 3rd is in green. Nice combination. I do like the eerie darkness mixed with misty red like blood — which represents Froi nicely. I’m interested in the words tattooed on his shoulder, because they weren’t mentioned in the first novel. Is that a clue to Froi’s forgotten past? Or just a cover enhancement? And, last but not least, Melina Marchetta is an Australian writer! (Woot!) I love supporting Australian authors. Their keen sense of humours always wobble my funny bone (like John Flanagan’s The Ranger’s Apprentice Series). As a wannabe-published-writer myself, I feel very inspired when I read books by established, famous Aussie authors.

Comments

Sounds like this might be a good series. I might have to keep my eyes out for it! You asked about my pen name. This is a story I can tell, though it is a bit long. It started with a writing group I started called INklings. It was based after the one Tolkien, Lewis, and his brother were in and eveyrone in it took an author's name. I took C.S. Lewis and was commonly called Lewis. Later, we discovered Lewis' friends called him Jack. So, some times some would call me Jack. But the name didn't take until one morning when I was chatting online with a fellow Inkling. An Inkling who was writing in French, picking on one of my characters, and talking about Captain Jack Sparrow. Before we got offline, I was given the new name of Jack – and somehow it stuck. Before I knew it I was no longer Lewis. And since Jack fits my personality better, I've been Jack ever since. *Smirk* Aye, you're right. Asking my real name is futile. It cannot be revealed – and it isn't half as fitting to me as Jack is. *Grin*

Now THAT is a cool story. 😀 I used to want to have a pen name…and then I thought (if I ever were published) no one would believe it was me. Besides, I'm not very good at keeping secrets. 😉 Well, I thought asking your *real* name was futile…but had to have a go. 😀